Car coupler



Oct. 9, 1945. E. P. KINNE ET AL CAR COUPLER Filed May 27, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1945- E. P. KINNE ET AL 8 GAR COUPLER Filed May 2'7, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VE NTORS. fj'lz/rz/e Oct. 9, 1945. E, P. KINNE ETAL 2,386,476

CAR COUPLER Filed May 27, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVENTORS- al/mama)? LIZ w. BY gy z Oct. 9, 1945. E, P. KINNE ET AL CAR COUPLER Filed May 27, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Z/ Z BY fiy a/z/c df 14%;." GM Gt,

Patented Oct. 9, 1945 attains can commit Edmund P. K111i!!! and n. Kayler, Alliance,

Ohio, assignors to can Steel Foundries,

Chicago, Ill., 0. congrats. on of New Jersey Application May 27; 1952, Serial No. 444,638

29 Claims.

Our invention relates to a mounting for a car coupler and more particularly for an industrial car coupler, although modifications of the invention may be utilized in the mounting of freight and passenger'car couplers as well.

During the coupling operation many couplers are damaged and it is believed that one cause of this damage .is the fact that frequently the mating couplers are out of alignment at the time of coupling. It is, therefore, the principal object of our invention to provide an automatic means for aligning the couplers. Accordingly, an object of our invention is to devise an arrangement wherein a centering and leveling device may be mounted on either the coupler member or'on the car member supporting the coupler shank, said device cooperating with the other member to maintain the coupler in a horizontal plane centrally of the car body in order that the coupler may be more readily engaged with the mating coupler during the coupling operation.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide a device wherein spaced plungers are mounted on either the coupler member or the car member, said plungers being actuated by the other member to compress associated coil springs in order to resiliently resist horizontal and vertical angling 'of the coupler.

In our novel arrangement each of the plungers will be actuated during horizontal angling of the coupler in one direction, and thus the spring associated with said plunger will return the coupler to its normal position after the horizontal angling. When vertical angling occurs without horizontal angling both plungers are actuated and both compression springs are operative to urge the coupler back into normal position.

In one modification of our novel arrangement, a diagonally arranged spring means is received within a pocket in the coupler and a plunger is received within said pocket in engagement with said spring means, said plunger having a roller on the bottom thereof seated against a V-shaped ledge on the coupler pocket whereby horizontal angling of the coupler causes the plunger to roll up one side of the ledge and thus to compress the spring means, said spring means being operative after horizontal or vertical angling to urge the coupler into its normal centered position.

Another object of our invention is to design a novel coupler pocket, said pocket comprising wing portions for interlocking engagement with the car body, and said pocket receiving the shank of the associated coupler and comprising means for the supporting of a centering and leveling device such as above described.

In certain modifications of our novel arrangement the coupler pocket receives a resilient pad and a coupler bearing block seated against said pad and presenting a concave bearing surface for complementary engagement with the convex end of the associated coupler shank, said shank being retained in the pocket by means of a vertical pin and a pin bearing block received within an opening in the shank, said pin bearing block abutting the pin and presenting a convex bearing surface for complementary engagement with the coupler shank.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a coupler supported from an associated car body by means of our novel arrangement.

Figure 2 is a composite sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1, the lower half of Figure 2 being a view taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-4 of Figure 1, and the upper half of Figure 2 being a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a front view of our novel coupler pocket casting, the coupler being removed therefrom, and Figure 5 is a view taken in the planes indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 1 and showing the conditions obtaining during 'vertical angling of the coupler.

Figures 6 to 10 inclusive show another modification of our invention, Figure 6 being a plan view of a coupler and the supporting car body, Figure '7 being a side elevation, partly in section, the section being taken in the plane indicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 6, Figure 8 being a front elevation of the coupler and supporting car body, Figure 9 showing vertical angling of the coupler and .being a side view comparable to that of Figure '7 except that one plunger pocket is shown in sectional view, the section being taken in a vertical plane bisecting the plunger, and Figure 10 being a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive and showing the conditions obtaining during horizontal angling of the coupler.

Figures 11 to 14 inclusive show a further modiflcation of our novel arrangement, Figure 11 being a top plan view of a coupler and the associated coupler pocket, Figure 12 being a side view, partly in section, the section being taken in the vertical plane indicated by the line i2l2 of Figure 11, Figure 13 being a sectional view taken in the planes indicated by the line l3-l3 of Figure 12, and Figure 14 being a further sectional view taken in the planes indicated by the line "-44 of Figure 12.

Describing our invention in detail and referring first to the modification shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the car body generally designated 2 comprises a recess 4 generally T-shaped in plan as seen in Figure l and formed and arranged for the reception of the coupler pocket casting 6,

said pocket casting comprising wing portions 8, 8

at opposite sides thereof, said wing portions servingto interlock the pocket 8 with the car body,

as will be clearly understood from a considerationvex end of the coupler shank 28 of the coupler generally designated 88. A vertical opening 22 extends through the shank 28 and a pin bearing block 84 is positioned in said opening and affords a convex bearing surface at 88 for the concave surface on the coupler shank 28, and the block 84 is also in arcuate face engagement at 38 with the vertically disposed pin 48 extending through aligned openings 42, 42 in the top and bottom walls I2 and I4 of the coupler pocket 8 and through the opening 82 in the coupler shank 28, said pin being keyed at 44. It may be noted that the opening 82 in the coupler shank 28 is tapered at 48, 48 (Figure 2) in order to accommodate vertical angling of the coupler 88. It may also be noted that the pin 48 is restrained against rotational movement by means of the abutment of the head 41 on said pin with the spaced lugs 48, 48 formed on the top wall I2 of the pocket casting 8.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the engagement of the shank 28 with the coupler bearing block at 28 and with the pin bearing block at 88 will allow the coupler shank to slide with respect to both blocks during vertical angling of the coupler and to slide with respect to the coupler. bearing block 24 during horizontal anglingof the coupler, the pin bearing block 84 being aflorded a sliding turning movement with respect to the pin during hori- It will be apparent from a consideration of Figure 1 that each plunger 88 will be actuated by horizontal angling of the coupler in one direction, and that the spring 82 associated with said plunger will resist said horizontal angling and will urge the coupler into its normal position after said angling. It will be further apparent from a considerationof Figures 2 and 5 that vertical angling in a downward direction will be resisted by means of both springs 82, 82 unless the coupler is angled both horizontally and downwardly at the same time, in which event, the vertical angling I may be resisted by one spring only.

Figures 6 to 10 inclusive show a different modiiication of our invention in which the car end generally designated 88 comprises the coupler pocket'82 defined by the arcuate rear wall 84 and the top and bottom walls 88 and 88, the rear wall affording a concave hearing at 88 for the end of the coupler shank 82 of the coupler generally designated 84. The shank 82 comprises a vertical opening 88 receiving a bearing block 88 and a retaining pin I88, the retaining pin extending through the top and bottom walls 88 and 88, and the block 88 affording a convex bearing at I82 for the complementary concave surface on the coupler shank, and the bearing block 88 also has an arcuate bearing at I84 with the pin I88. Vertical angling of the coupler is accommodated by the bearing of the coupler shank at88 with the rear wall 84 of the pocket 82 and by the bearing of the shank at I82 with the hearing block 88, and horizontal angling of the coupler is accommodated by the bearing of the shank at 88 and by the slidable turning movement of the block 88 with respect to the pin I88, as will be clearly apparent. The top wall 88 is tapered at I88, and the vtop and bottom of the coupler shank is tapered at I88, I88 to accommodate ver- 40 tical angling, as may be clearly seen in Figures '7 zontal angling. The end of the coupler shank is tapered at 48, 48 (Figure 1) at opposite sides thereof, and the inner surfaces of the side walls I8 and I8 of the pocket casting are tapered adjacent the outer ends thereof, as best seen at 48, 48 in Figure 4 in order to accommodate horizontal angling of the coupler. Likewise, the end of the shank is tapered at 88, 88 at the top and bottom thereof and the top and bottom walls of the pocket casting are tapered at 82, 82 in order to permit vertical angling of the coupler, as will be clearly understood from a consideration of Figures 2 and 5, the former figure showing the coupler in its normal level and centered position, and the latter figure showing the coupler angled downward so that the surface 88 on the top of the coupler shank is in abutment with the top wall I2 of the coupler pocket and the beveled surface 82 on the bottom wall I4 of the coupler pocket is in abutment with the outer lower edge of the coupler shank.

Aligned depending lugs 84 and 88 on the car end and on the coupler pocket 8 respectively comprise aligned openings 88, 88 for the reception of pins or plungers 88, 88. A coil spring 82 is sleeved over each plunger in abutment with the adjacent lug 84 and with the collar 84 threaded on the plunger 88. Each plunger is keyed by a. cotter pin 88 adjacent the rear end thereof and projects outwardly of the lug 88 for abutment and 9.

The coupler 84 is provided with a depending bracket II8 accommodating the spaced plungers I I2, II2 extending therethrough, and sleeved over each plunger is a coil spring II4 abutting the bracket at II8 (Figures 7 and 9) and abutting the collar II8 on the plunger at I28 (Figure 9). A bar I2I is secured in any convenient manner to the bracket H8, and the plungers I I2, II2 extend through openings in the bar IN, the collar II8 on each plunger being adapted to abut the bar III, as best seen in Figure l, in order to maintain the leveling and centering device in asat 88 with the depending lug 18 on the coupler 88, said lug 18 containing the operating mechanism for thecoupler head, as will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

sembled relationship, as will be clearly apparent.

It will also be apparent from a consideration of Figures 7 and 9 that during vertical angling of the coupler 84 the plungers H2, H2 compress the associated springs I I4, I I4, the ends of the plungers remote from the car body extending through the bracket 8 as at I22 (Figures'9 and 10), the opposite ends of the plungers H2, H2 abutting the depending lug I24 on the car end. The compression of the springs H4, H4 will thus tend to return the coupler to its normal level and to maintain it at the level, as in Figure '1, during a coupling operation. Furthermore, horizontal angling of the coupler will tend to compress one spring I I4, as in Figure 10, and this spring will center the coupler after angling. It will be apparent that in the event of extreme horizontal angling, as seen in Figure 10, only one plunger II2 will remain in abutment with the lug I24 on the car end and thus only one spring H4 will be operative to resist the horizontal angling of the coupler, as well as any vertical angling which may take place at the same time, Thus the springs II 4, H4, actuated by the plungers H2, H2, maintain the coupler in its normal position with respect to the car body. It will be understood that the car body is supported on wheel and axle assemblies indicated at I26 in Figure 8,

gach'wheel rolling upon a rail I20 in the usual manner.

A further modification of our invention is shown in Figures 11 to 14 inclusive and in this modification the coupler pocket generally designated I32 comprises wing portions I34, I34 for interlocking engagement with an associated car body in a manner similar to that disclosed in the modification shown in Figures 1 to inclusive. The pocket I32 comprises top and bottom walls I35 and I36 and spaced side walls I31, I31; as

well as a rear wall I38. Seated against the rear wall is a resilient pad I40 affording a seat for the coupler bearing block I42, said bearing block I42 affording a concave bearing at I44 for the convex end of the coupler shank I46 of the coupler generally designated I48. The shank I45, comprises the vertical opening I50 for the accommodation of a pin I52 extending through the topand bottom walls I35 and I36 for pivotal securement of the coupler I48. A pin bearing block I54 ai fords'a convex bearing surface at I56 for the complementary concave surface on the coupler shank, and the block I54 is in arcuate face engagement at I58 with the pin I52. It will be readily apparent that the engagement of the be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent pler centering device.

2. In a couplerpocket, top and bottom walls with aligned pin openings therethrough, spaced side walls, and a rear wall, said bottom wall comprising depending support means for an associated coupler leveling device.

3. In combination, a car member having a recess therein and a coupler pocket in said recess having wing portions received therewithin for interlocking engagement with said car member, said pocket being readily insertable and removable from the top of said recess, and a device removably supported from the bottom of said car mema ber and said pocket, said device restricting upbearing blocks with the coupler and the pin, as I well as the shape of the coupler shank and the coupler pocket, accommodate vertical and horizontal angling in a manner similar to that disclosed in the modification shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive.

The head of the coupler I48 is provided with a spring pocket I50 receiving the telescoped inner and outer coil springs I52 and I54 seated as at I55 (Figure 13) against the top of the pocket I60, and seated at I58 against a plunger I10, said plunger comprising the upstanding arcuate wall I12 housing the springs I52 and I54 and comprising on the bottom thereof a jaw I14 formed and arranged for the reception of a roller I15, said roller being positioned in said jaw by the pin I18. The roller is seated as at I80 on the ledge I82 formed on the coupler pocket I32, said ledge being V-shaped from a front view, as best seen in Figure 13, whereby horizontal angling of the coupler I48 causes the roller I16 to roll up one side of the ledge I82, and thus. the plunger I10 compresses the springs I52 and I64, as will be clearly apparent. A rivet I84 (Figures 12 and 14) is received within a slot (not shown) in the arcuate wall I12 of the plunger, said rivet functioning to hold the plunger and the coupler in assembled relationship during positioning of the coupler shank in the coupler pocket. After the coupler and the pocket are assembled, the rivet may be removed or may preferably be left in position, the slot in the plunger being of suflicient depth to permit actuation thereof without interference with the rivet I84. It will be apparent that when the coupler is in normal level and centered position, as in Figure 12, that the springs I52 and I54 may be under some slight precompression and that either horizontal or vertical angling, or both, of the coupler I48 will actuate the plunger I10 to further compress the springs I52 and I54 whereby the coupler will be returned to its normal position after said angling.

It is to, be understood that we do not wish to ward movement of said pocket within said recess and comprising spaced resilient means formed and arranged for maintaining an associated coupler in normal level position, and actuating members associated with respective resilient means.

4. In a coupler mounting, a ear member, a coupler member secured thereto, and a device mounted on the coupler member and actuated by the car member for leveling and centering the coupler member, said device comprising spaced resilient members housed within said coupler member, each of said resilient members being formed and arranged to resist horizontal angling of the coupler member in one direction and also to resist vertical angling of the coupler member under certain conditions, said device being the sole means of maintaining said coupler member in its normal horizontal plane. a

5. In combination, a car member having a recess therein and a coupler pocket in said recess having wing portions received therewithin for interlocking engagement with said car member, said pocket being readily insertable and removable from the .top of saidrecess, and a deviceremovably supported from the bottom of said car member and said pocket, said device restricting upward movement of said pocket within said recess and comprising spaced resilient means formed and arranged for maintaining an associated couplerv in normal level position, and actuating plungers sleeved within respective resilient means and carrying abutment means therefor.

6. In combination, a ear member comprising a coupler pocket having top and bottom walls with aligned pin holes therethrough, a coupler member comprising a shank with a pin hole in said pocket, a pin extending through said pin holes, said shank being capable of vertical and horizontal angling within said pocket, and a device mounted for maintaining said coupler member in its normal level position.

' 7. In combination, a body member having a T-shaped recess open at the top thereof, a coupler pocket casting removably positioned within said recess and of a form generally complementary thereto, said casting having wing members within said recess for interlocking said casting against forward movement with respect to said body member, depending lugs on said body member and said casting respectively, aligned openings through said lugs, a plunger extending through said openings, a spring sleeved over said plunger between said lugs and seated against the body member lug, a collar on said pin engaging said spring, and a coupler member pivotally mounted in said casting and engaged with said plunger, said spring being operable to resist horizontal angling of said coupler member and downward angling thereof with respect to its normal horizontal position.

8. In combination, a body member having a T-shaped recess open at the top thereof, a coupler pocket casting removably positioned within said recess and of a form generally complementary thereto, said casting having wing members within said recess for interlocking said casting against forward movement with respect to said body member, depending lugs on said body member and said casting respectively, aligned openings through said lugs, spaced plungers extending through respective of said aligned openings, a spring sleeved over each plunger between said lugs and seated against the body member lug, means on each plunger engaging the associated spring, and a coupler member pivotally mounted within said casting and engaged with said plungers, each of said springs being operable to resist horizontal angling of said coupler member in one direction and both of said springs being operable to maintain said coupler member in its normal horizontal plane.

9. In combination, a body member having a recess open at the top, a coupler casting removably positioned within said recess and having wing members received therewithin for interlocking said casting against forward movement with respect to said body member, depending lugs on said body member and said casting respectively,

aligned openings through said lugs, a plunger extending through said openings, a spring sleeved over said plunger between said lugs and seated against the body member lug, means on said plunger engaging said spring, and a coupler member pivotally mounted within said casting and engaged with said plunger, said spring being operable to resist horizontal angling of said coupler member and downward angling thereof with respect to its normal horizontal plane.

10. In combination, a car member with a T-shaped recess therein, said recess being open at the top, a coupler pocket member removably positioned within said recess and of a form generally complementary thereto, said pocket member being insertable and removable from the top of said recess, and a leveling device for an associated coupler, said device being supported from the bottom of said car and pocket members and being interlocked therewith to maintain said pocket member within said recess.

11. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler comprising a shank secured within said pocket, a diagonally arranged spring pocket in said coupler, resilient means therein, a plunger engaging said resilient means, a nonfiat ledge on said coupler pocket, and roller means on said plunger in rolling engagement with said ledge, said resilient means being operable to resist in compression horizontal and vertical angling of the coupler.

12. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler comprising a shank pivotally secured within said pocket, a spring pocket in said coupler, spring means therein, a plunger in abutment with said spring means and comprising means housing said spring means, a V-shaped ledge on said coupler pocket, and roller means on said plunger seated on said ledge.

13. In combination, a car member with a T-shaped recess therein, said recess being open at the top, and a coupler pocket member removably positioned within said recess and of a form generally complementary thereto, said pocket member being insertable and removable from the top of said recess, and leveling means for an associated coupler comprising an integral member depending from said pocket member, resilient means bearing at one end thereof against a spring abutment lug on the bottom or said car member, and a plunger pin sleeved within said resilient means and extending through aligned openings in said lug and said depending member, said pin carrying abutment means for the opposite end of said resilient means and being adapted to engage abutment means on said associated coupler.

14. In combination, a car member having a recess therein and a coupler pocket memberin said recess and having wing portion therein for interlocking engagement with said car member, said pocket member being readily insertable and removable from the top of said recess, and leveling means removably supported from the bottom of said car and pocket members for resiliently maintaining an associated coupler in its normal level position, said leveling means being operable to prevent accidental disassembly oi said-pocket the top of said recess, and a device removably supported from the bottom of said member and said casting, said device restricting upward movement of said casting within said recess and ail'ording centering means for an associated coupler member.

16. In a coupler mounting, a car member, a coupler member pivotally secured thereto, and a device mounted on one of said members and actuated by the other for leveling and centering the coupler member, said device comprising spaced plungers extending through depending lugs on its supporting member, said plungers bearing against said other member, and resilient means sleeved over each plunger and engaged therewith, said resilient means being seated against one of said lugs.

17. In a coupler pocket, top and bottom walls with aligned pin openings therethrough, spaced side walls comprising shank portion formed and arranged for interlocking engagement with an associated car body, and a rear wall, said bottom wall comprising depending support means for an associated leveling device.

18. In a coupler mounting, a car member, a coupler member pivotally secured thereto, and a device mounted on one 01 said members and actuated by the other for leveling and centering the coupler member, said device comprising spaced rigid members extending through spaced means depending from its supporting member, said rigid members bearing against said other member, and resilient means sleeved over each rigid member and bearing against abutment means thereon, said resilient means being seated against the depending means remote from said other member.

19. in a coupler mounting, a ear member with a coupler pocket partially defined by top and bottom walls, a coupler mounted in said pocket and pivotal horizontally and vertically therein, means depending from said bottom wall, and resilient means housed within the coupler and operable by said depending means for resisting in compression horizontal angling of the coupler in either direction and downward angling of th coupler from its normal horizontal plane.

20. In a coupler mounting, a car member with a coupler pocket partially defined by top and bottom walls, a coupler mounted in said pocket and pivotal horizontally and vertically therein, means depending from said bottom wall, and means operable by said depending means for resiliently resisting horizontal angling of the coupler in either direction and downward angling of the coupler from its normal horizontal plane, said secondmentioned means being housed within the coupler and being the sole means for maintaining said coupler in its normal horizontal plane.

21. In a coupler mounting, a car body with a coupler pocket, a coupler mounted in said pocket and pivotal horizontally and vertically therein, actuating means depending from the pocket and the coupler, and leveling and centering means for resiliently resisting horizontal angling of the coupler and downward angling thereof from its normal horizontal position, said second-mentioned means comprising resilient means housed within the coupler and rigid means bearing against said resilient means and cooperating with said actuating means for actuation thereby.

22. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket having spaced top and bottom walls with aligned pin openings therethrough, a coupler having a shank received within said pocket, a pin extending through said openings for pivotal securement of said shank, said shank being relieved to accommodate vertical and horizontal angling thereof within said pocket, means depending from said bottom wall, and a leveling and centering device associated with said coupler for actuation by said means, said device comprising a single resilient member operable to resist in compression horizontal angling of the coupler in either direction and operable to resist downward angling of the coupler from its normal horizontal plane.

23. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler comprising a shank secured within said pocket, a spring pocket in said coupler, resilient means therein, a plunger engaging said resilient means, a ledge on said pocket sloping upwardly at opposite sides thereof, and roller means on said plunger in rolling engagement with said ledge, said resilient means being operable to resist in compression horizontal and vertical angling of the coupler.

24. In a. coupler mounting, a car member, a coupler member pivotally secured thereto, and a device carried by said coupler member and actuated by the ear member for maintaining the former in normal level and central position, said device comprising spaced resilient members, each of said resilient members being formed and arranged to resist horizontal angling of the coupler member in one direction and also to resist vertical angling of the coupler member under certain conditions, said device being the sole means for maintaining said coupler member in its normal level position.

25. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler having a shank pivotally secured within said pocket, said shank being capable of vertical and horizontal angling within said pocket, actuating means depending from said pocket, and a leveling and centering device associated with said coupler for actuation by said means, said device comprising a resilient member operable to resist in compression horizontal angling of the coupler in either direction and downward angling of said coupler. v

26. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler having a shank pivotally secured therewithin, said shank being capable of vertical and horizontal angling within said pocket, actuating means comprising a ledge beneath said pocket sloping upwardly at each side thereof, and a leveling and centering device associated with said coupler, said device comprising a single resilient member housed within said coupler, and plunger means bearing against said resilient member and seated on said ledge, said resilient member being operable by said plunger means to resist in compression horizontal angling of the coupler in either direction and downward angling of the coupler.

27. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler comprising a shank pivoted therewithin, and a leveling and centering device for said coupler carried thereby, said device comprising spaced resilient members housed within said coupler, and independent plunger means for respective members, and means fixed with respect to said pocket and bearing against said plunger means for actuation thereof.

28. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler comprising a shank pivoted therewithin, and a leveling and centering device for said coupler carried thereby, said device comprising spaced resilient means bearing against said coupler, and independent plunger means for respective resilient means, and rigid means fixed with respect to said pocket and bearing against said plunger means for actuation thereof.

29. In a coupler mounting, a coupler pocket, a coupler comprising a shank pivoted therewithin, and a leveling and centering device for said coupler mounted thereon and disposed therebeneath, said device comprising, spaced resilient members bearing against abutment surfaces on said coupler, each of said resilient members being formed and arranged to resist horizontal angling of the coupler in one direction and also to resist a vertical angling of the coupler under certain conditions, and a plunger bearing against each of said resilient members for actuation thereof, and rigid means fixed with respect to said pocket and bearing against said plunger for actuation thereof.

EDMUND-P. KINNE. FRANK H. KAYLER. 

